Pentagon names Dana Deasy to lead Defense IT

The Department of Defense announced that experienced private-sector CIO Dana Deasy will be taking the helm of the Pentagon's IT posture. (AFP/Getty Images)

The Pentagon announced April 5 that JP Morgan Chase’s former chief information officer Dana Deasy will become the Department of Defense’s top IT official in early May.

“In his position, he will be responsible for how we manage and use information, communications and cybersecurity,” said Dana White, the Pentagon’s press secretary. “This is particularly important as we adopt cloud technology to make more informed and timely decisions on the battlefield.”

Deasy was appointed CIO at JP Morgan Chase in 2013, eventually managing a $9.5 billion technology budget in 2016, according to the company’s annual report. Deasy retired from the company in September 2017.

“He will also bring greater accountability to the department’s information security posture,” White said. “Mr. Deasy’s extensive enterprise-level experience and leadership will ensure the department drives a culture of performance and maximizes the value of every taxpayer dollar entrusted to us.”

Deasy takes over from Essye Miller, who has served as acting CIO since December 2017. The agency has not had a permanent CIO since Terry Halvorsen resigned in February 2017.